Presser-foot-lifting mechanism.



A. A. MERRITT.

PRESSER FOOT LIFTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.30, I9I3- Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

A. A. MERRITT.

PRESSER FOOT LIFTING MQCHANISM.

APPLICATION mm ssrnao. 1913.

1, 1 34,477., Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

@lvggmw Z mi' %/M mg:/z4

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO LITHOH WASHINQION, D. c.

A. A. MERRITT. PRESSER FOOT LIFTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.30. I913.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wuamtoz 5 i. WM

THE NORRIS PETERS cc FHOTC-LIII'" "VNGTUN D C.

- ily lifted from the table,

UNlTEl? 3.513114% PATENT @FFEQE.

GIBBS SEW'ING IEACHINE 06., OF NEW YOR K, ll. L, A QOE-PORATION 01* NEW YORK.

PB'ESSER-FOOT-LIFTING MECHANISM.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. c, 1915.

Application filed September 30, 1913. Serial No. 792,847.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. Mnnnrrr, of lVorcester, Massachusetts, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Presser- Foot-Lifting Mechanism, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to presser-foot lifting mechanism for sewing machines, and particularly to that type of such mechanism as is actuated by pressure of the knee of the machine operator.

One object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism having-a range of adjustments which will enable the knee lever of the mechanism to be accurately and comfortably positioned to the knee of the particular operator who may be running the machine.

Another object is to allow the sewing machine above the bench or table to be moved up and backward, in tilting the-same on its hinges to the bench, without the necessity of disconnecting the presser-foot lifting mechanism.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating what is now considered to be the preferred embodiment thereof, and

wherein- 1 Figure 1 is a front elevation, the table to the under side of which the presser-foot lifting mechanism is fastened being shown in section, and the sewing machine above the table being illustrated in dotted outline; Fig. 2 is an end elevation from the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the presser-foot lifting mechanism alone; and Fig. 4 comprisesdetail perspective views of several parts.

5 is a bench or table having an opening therethrough over which a sewing machine 6 illustrated in dotted outline is mounted, a flange 7 on the base plate 8 of the machine fitting within the opening with sufficient looseness to permit the machine to be reador to be tilted backward for access to mechanism on the under side of the base plate 8.

9 is a presserbar carrying a presser foot 10 and a screw pin 11. A vertically movable rod 12 engages the under side of the head of pin 11 to elevate the presser-bar and presser-foot against the tension of the usual spring (not shown) which tends to hold it in contact with the work. One end of a bell-crank lever 13 engages a notch in the side of the rod 12 to impart lifting move- .ment to the latter, the other end of said lever being connected by a link 14: to one end of a second bell-crank lever 15, the other end of which is connected by a depending link 16 to a third bell-crank lever 17 fulcrumed to a bracket 18 on the lower side of the base plate 8 by a pivot screw 19. As will be apparent, any movement of the sewing machine will carry with it the parts mentioned.

2.0 is the frame-work of a friction clutch power transmitter of the type illustrated in my application for patent filed August 26, 1912, Serial No. 717,182,.said framework 20 having two curved depending arms 21 and 22, the latter being provided on its outer face with two bosses 23, 24, for the attachment of the presser-foot lifting mechanism about to be described.

26- is a skeleton-plate or frame secured to the arm 22 by screws 27, 28, engaging screw-threaded openings in the bosses 23 and 24 respectively. An arm 29, preferably formed integrally with the plate 26, extends at right angles to the main body of the latter across the edge of the arm 22, and constitutes a support to which a lever is fulcrumed at its lower end by a pivot-screw 31, said lever 30 having at its upperend a broadened face 32 adapted to be contacted by the lower end of bell-crank lever 17. When the sewing machine is tilted back from its upright position, the lower end of bell-crank lever 17 swings upwardly in the arc of a circle out of engagement with the face 32 of the lever 30; to facilitate the repositioning of the bell-crank lever 17 with relation to the face 32 when the machineis again swung to its upright position, the forward edge of the face 32 is rounded at 33, whereby the lower end of the bell-crank lever 17 may ride up said inclined edge onto the flat surface 32.

35 is a vertical rock shaft journaled in lugs 36 and 37 on the plate or frame 26. To the upper end of shaft 35, abovethe lug 36-,there is fixed a lever 38; the longer arm of said lever at one side of its fulcrum is provided with a seat 39 for a spring shortly to be described, and at its outer end is connected by a link 4:0 to the upper end of the lever 30 heretofore mentioned. The shorter arm or lever 38 at the other side of its fulcrum has a depending stop lug 11 adapted to contact the edge of the lug 36 and therelimit the movement of the lever under the influence of a coiled spring 42 which rests at one end in the seat 39, and at its other end in a seat 43 in the plate 26. A

arts an inner art 45 havin at its inner end a split socket embracing the rock shaft 35--andadapted to be clamped thereon by tightening the set-boltit6; and an outer part t7 having a depending rounded and broadened extension 48, the, rounded surface. of which is adapted to'be engaged by the right knee of an operator sitting before the machine and operating the same. The parts and 47 of the knee-lever are extensibly connected together by meansof a rib 49 .on the inner face of 4-7 slidinglyengaging between two ribs 50, 50, on the part 45, a set-bolt 51 carried by the part 47 working through a slot 52in the inner part 45. It will thus be apparent that by loosening the bolt 51 and sliding the part 47 with relation toithe part 45, the length of the knee-lever maybe adjusted as desired; and furthermore that by loosening the set-bolt 46, the knee-lever may be moved'vertically alongthe rock shaft 35 to any desired elevation andturned about the same to any desiredradial 'positionthat imay be found to be most comfortable tothe particular operator in charge of the machine.

What I claim is v 1. The combination with a machine part to be moved under'control of knee-pressure, of an upright rotatable shaft, a knee-lever adjustably secured to said shaft, and connectionsito the machine partfor moving the latter upon actuation of the knee-lever.

'2. The combination with a maohinje part to be moved under control of knee-pressure,

I of an upright rotatable shaft, a knee-lever adjustable to any desired elevation along said shaft, and-rlcon nections to the machine part for-lifting the latter upon actuation of the knee-lever.

j 3. The combination with a machine part to be moved under control of knee-pressure,

of an upright rotatable shaft, a knee-lever adjustable longitudinally of and radially to said shaft, means for securing the kneeelever to the shaft in anyposition of the adjust ment ofthe former, and connections to the machine partffor lifting the latter upon actuation of the knee-lever.

4:. The combination with a rpresser foot,

of an upright rotatableshaft, an extensible knee-lever adjustable longitudinally of and radially to said shaft, means for securing the knee-lever to the shaft in anyfposition of the adjustment of the former, and connections to the presser-foot forlifting'the same upon actuation of the knee-lever.

5, The combination with a Presser-foot,

of an upright rotatable shaft, an extensible a second lever, a link connecting said arm and second lever, and connections to the resser-foot actuated by saidsecond-leverj to 'lift the Presser-foot upon actuation of the knee-lever. I n

H7. The combination with a sewing machine and its presser-foot', of an upright V shaft, a knee-leveron the shaft, an 'armflon tl1e"sha ft,- a'second lever, a link connecting said arm and second lever, .'a third lever fulcrumed to and movable with the sewingknee leverv secured, tosaid shaft, and con- V nections tothe presser foot for lifting the 4 adjustable on the shaft, an arm onthe shaft, f1

machine and lying in the path of movement of and adapted to be actuated by the second,

lever when thesewing-machine is in its-nor-r mal operating position, and connections from said thirdlever to'the Presser-foot.

8. The combination with a sewing-machine and its presser-foot, ofa lever, kneeactuated means for moving said lever,;a second lever fulcrumed to and movable with the sewing-machine, said second lever being v unfastened to'the firstmentioned lever but being adapted" in the normal position ofthe machine to lie. in the path of movement of and be actuated by said first-namedlever, 7' and connections from said second lever to the pr'e'sser-footv-for lifting the latter. 7

In testimony whereofoI have signed specification in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses. I ARTHUR A. MERRITT.

Witnesses: a 3

:G. L; CHURoH,'Jr.,- PEARGED UM OND,

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner '0; Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

